Chapter 47: Forty-seven.

Colt and Elijah split up in their search through the house for Nora. Elijah trudging upstairs, while Colt hunted through the ground floor of Elijah's very large home. After checking through the all the rooms, without success, Colt arrived in the kitchen with a sigh, hoping Elijah was having better luck upstairs. But, while in the kitchen something caught her attention, it was the scent of milk, and there on the countertop that doubled up as a breakfast bar was an open box of fruit loops, and an empty bowl that clearly needed washed, along with the milk spill on the counter. It was then Colt looked up, through the window and sighed in relief, there outside on the trampoline, was Nora bouncing away, still in her pyjamas. If it weren't winter, and still drizzling with rain it would have been a cute image.

But it was winter, and there was frost on the surfaces untouched by the freezing rain water, and being outdoors was no place for a child still in her sleep wear.

Opening the sliding door to the yard, Colt called out, "Nora, get in here, right now!"

Nora didn't listen. Which at this point just pissed Colt off, as now she was forced to march outside barefoot to get her, in what was a completely unsustable outfit, she acknowledged, to do so.

"Nora, I swear I will come and get you." Colt said from the side of the trampoline.

Turning to face Colt, Nora growled, and began a slow threatening shift.

"Young Lady, I have five brothers, two of them younger. So, do not think for one second, that your wolf cub form is going to scare me off. Get your scrawny butt inside out of this weather. Right Now! Or I will drag you inside by your scruff! Move it!" Colt demanded, while pointing to the house, as she quickly became soaked through.

Nora froze, she wasn't expecting Colt's reprimanding tone, or the fact that she didn't back off. She returned to her human form with only a few minor tears in her soaked pyjamas and began walking to the house with slumped shoulders, conveying her embarrassment. She paused as she entered the kitchen, upon viewing Elijah stood there with a poorly concealed smirk, which he was desperately trying to convey as disappointment.

But before he could say anything, Colt spoke again, "Upstairs now. You are going for a warm bath, before you get a chill, Nora." All the while, continuing to frog march the young girl upstairs, to get her warmed up and dried off.

Elijah watched in amazement. No one, had ever managed to make Nora comply like that. No one. She always lashed out at the first sign of being reprimanded. This confirmed further what he already knew, his mate was perfect.

By the time the two ladies returned to the kitchen, Elijah had cooked up scrambled eggs and cleaned up Nora's earlier mess. But what both confused and impressed him further, was the laughter the two were sharing, and the way Nora was looking at Colt with complete adoration - who was now unfortunately not in the same delectable outfit he noted, but wearing jeans and a thigh length thick jumper. He wondered what had brought about this amazing turn around of friendship.

"Mmmm, that smells delicious, Balto." Colt said with a wink, hungrily eyeing up the eggs Elijah had prepared.

"I'm glad you approve." He smiled warmly, at his mate, gesturing for her to take a seat.

"Oh, yes, but theres only two plates, what on earth will you eat?" Colt laughed, teasing him.

Nora rolled her eyes at the strange behaviour the two were displaying, and took a seat beside where Colt was still standing.

"Nora Honey, are you hungry? Or would you like something to drink?" Colt asked her, while running her hand through the girl's plaited hair affectionately.

"Can I get some juice, please?" Nora asked politely, leaning into Colt's touch as she enjoyed the contact.

"You heard her, Elijah." Colt said with a smile at her bewildered mate. "Your sister needs a drink."

Nodding, Elijah went to the fridge silently, and poured Nora a glass of orange juice. It warmed his heart beyond measure seeing how well Colt and Nora were getting on all of a sudden. Even if he was at a complete loss on how it happened. When he returned with the glass of juice and placed it on the breakfast bar, Colt had finished most of her eggs, as Nora sat quietly drawing on a book, of which he had no idea, where it origininated from.

As Elijah ate his own food, he noticed the way Colt's entire demeanor had changed to focus on Nora. It was almost as if he wasn't there at all. Which didn't particularly sit well with him, but he couldn't help and admire his mate all the same, and just how naturally she slipped into a maternal roll, putting Nora's needs first, since she was the most dependant at the moment. He watched as she made sure everything was in reach that Nora could have needed, she listened attentively to Nora's ramblings and encouraged her at the same time. No wonder Nora was beaming at her, Colt was hard not to love, when she doted on you completely.

Briefly he thought back to something Isla had said about her wildcat nature when it came to children, and suddenly his brain was firing with the hope that Colt could be prevailed upon, maybe she would mother his children afterall. In his mind he could see her, her hair thicker, her stomach swollen with his baby, as she waddled around, somehow managing to retain her elegant stance as she did so. He would be lying if he didn't smile brightly at the thought of her breasts, becoming bigger and heavier in his grasp as well. Yes, Elijah had decided Colt would definitely suit being pregnant, and it would definitely suit him, putting as many cubs in her belly as possible.

"And, what's got you smiling so widely, Mr. Lupus?" Colt asked, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Wouldn't you like to know, Little Bird?" He laughed back, clearing the now empty plates away to wash.

"Well, I'm not so sure now, with that devious look in your eye." Colt laughed with a faked grimace.

Nora, watched the two from her note pad before interrupting, "Colt, remember you said we could do make overs, once breakfast was done."

"You're absolutely right, I did. Come on then." she answered, gesturing with her hand to Nora to lead the way.

"Wait. What?" Elijah asked following them out of the kitchen quickly. "Little Bird, what's going on? I thought we were going to spend the day together?" He asked petulantly.

Colt paused and said to Nora, "You head on up, Sweetheart. I will be there in a second."

Nora's face crumpled slightly with mistrust, "Promise?"

"Pinky promise." Colt confirmed, holding out her little finger to Nora, who grabbed it with her own, her eyes lighting up with delight, before she skipped off.

"What's going on Colt?" Elijah asked sceptically.

"Oh, well you see, I got a better offer." Colt said with a wink.

"I don't know what sort of Voodoo you worked on Nora, but she is never like this. With anyone." Elijah began, "You don't want to spoil her too much." He argued, hoping to change Colt's mind.

"Yes, well. There is a difference between presents and presence, Balto." Colt said, as way of an explanation. "Spending time with her, is exactly what she needs."

"What?" he asked confused.

"Okay Elijah. Your sister came to spend two nights with you, and your Mom is collecting her later today right?" Colt asked slowly, trying to spell it out to him.

"Right." Elijah nodded.

"So, what have you actually done together?" Colt asked accusingly.

Elijah gave her a blank stare.

"Exactly." Colt sighed. "Even before I got here, you haven't spent any real time together have you? Except for the forced apology you only gave her at my insistence that is."

"Shit!" Elijah said. "Is that why she's been such a brat?" He asked.

Colt punched Elijah in the arm, without thought jumping to defend the young girl. "Elijah! She hasn't been at fault here. You have! You're the adult! She is not a brat!"

"Damn it, Woman." he growled, rubbing his arm. "So, what do I do then?"

"First off, I will find a newspaper." She said, pointing a finger at him warningly. "Enough growling, I'm your mate not your chew toy." Then she smiled, "And secondly, you do nothing. You had your chance. Now it my turn and Nora and I are having a pamper session, followed by some online shopping and later we will bake, if time allows, that is."

"What!" Elijah barked, realising he was being dumped. "Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. I will see you at lunchtime, Handsome." Colt smiled, walking away. "Oh and would you be a Dear, and give Zachary a call, I'd like him to join us for lunch. I owe him an apology for yesterday." She added without looking back.

Which was just as well, because if she had she would have seen Elijah's face turning red as his anger and jealousy surfaced, before he stomped off to his office.